Emails renew concerns that police targeted rap concert

Saturday

HOUMA — Emails exchanged by Terrebonne Parish officials show police presence was specifically requested outside a downtown nightclub where a well-known rapper performed last month.

HOUMA — Emails exchanged by Terrebonne Parish officials show police presence was specifically requested outside a downtown nightclub where a well-known rapper performed last month.The revelation renewed concern that law enforcement's show of force was excessive and racially motivated, accusations Houma's police chief continues to reject as unfounded.Terrebonne Parish government gave the 13 pages of emails, news releases and memos to The Courier and Daily Comet in response to the newspapers' public-records request.The communications show that Terrebonne Main Street Manager Anne Picou, as well as Houma Police Chief Todd Duplantis, asked officers to be present outside the City Club of Houma, 7861 Main St., on April 27, when Master P, Mystikal and Romeo came to town.“Marsha, I received a call from Mike Fesi, and he informed me that Master P and Bow Wow Wow are coming to his facility on April 29, can we make sure HPD will be in the area? I'm truly afraid of vandalism downtown,” Picou said in an email to Houma Police Capt. Marsha Russell on April 14.About 40 uniformed officers from Houma Police and the Terrebonne Sheriff's Office gathered downtown that night, and about two dozen officers were seen within a block of the club, most wearing body armor outside their uniforms. Houma Police's tactical-response-team truck was parked nearby, and the Courthouse Square, across the street from the club, was barricaded.“It's sickening to know our parish or government would allow that to happen,” said City Club owner Mike Fesi Jr.He said he is considering legal action against the parish due to the low attendance at the concert. Tickets for the show ranged from $100-150, and Fesi said between 80 and 100 people showed up at the 300-capacity club.“They wonder why this place doesn't expand its horizons,” Fesi said. “It's this old-school mindset that holds it back.”Attempts to interview Master P and his representatives were unsuccessful.Duplantis has maintained that the increased presence that night was due to a spring-break-related operation. The aim was to target high-attendance areas, such as concerts, where underage drinking and other illegal activity takes place. As a result of the presence, no major incidents happened, the chief said.Asked if the same effect could have been achieved that night without the tactical-response team, Duplantis said he didn't know.On April 19, Duplantis sent an email to Russell, Houma Police Lt. Lonnie Lusco, Lt. Milton Wolfe, Capt. Tina Ledet and Lt. Bobbie O'Bryan requesting presence in the area as well.“Can you make sure we have enough people out next Wednesday night for the concert at the Post Office Lounge downtown?” Duplantis said in the email, referring to the name of another club that formerly operated at the City Club's building.Some are still complaining about that night though, saying law enforcement's presence was excessive.“I have said all along that police presence at City Club when Master P was in town was racially motivated,” said Terrebonne NAACP President Jerome Boykin after reading the emails. “All these emails do is prove what I said is correct.”Duplantis said the operation was not racially motivated, and police were there due to recent violence, such as shootings at Lafayette and Academy streets, a half-mile away from the City Club.“A lot of people were out that night, and a lot of area was encompassed,” Duplantis said, adding that officers were spread from Barrow to Lafayette streets, and Main to Honduras streets. “Apparently, there are still problems in the downtown Houma area.”On the Friday after the concert, more than 100 people showed up to Courthouse Square to watch a free concert by Vintage, a local cover band. The police's tactical truck was nowhere to be seen, and only a few officers were spotted patrolling the event. Police said no major incidents happened that night.The NAACP is not against police protection, Boykin said.“However, if you are going to do it for one band, you have to do it for all bands,” Boykin said. “It's clear City Club was targeted. They just used it as an excuse to have law enforcement out in force.”“It says exactly what they portrayed,” Fesi said about the emails and police presence that night. “They declared war on the whole concert, the whole club.”Picou said her email was not intended to target the City Club or the concert's crowd but rather to address ongoing vandalism downtown.“This was driven because that particular week, we had some more vandalism,” Picou said. “We spent all this money for the Cleanest City contest, and they pulled a tree out.”Picou said on May 3, the parish paid more than $900 to work on a fountain and pond that people damaged in the Courthouse Square.Other documents show the planning of the operation, as well as an email from Russell to Picou talking about using the barricades and floodlights, saying “we have so many events going on that week, ... we feel the lights will be a great asset.”While officials said the tactical-response team was not brought out during Styx's concert at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, which attracted 4,800 people, Duplantis said the team has been used for past Ken Feinberg town-hall meetings.Duplantis said the department is planning similar operations and that it's possible that the tactical-response team will be involved.Still, Boykin contends there are “racial overtones” in Picou and Duplantis' emails, saying they were targeting Fesi and the City Club because of the rap concert.“Clearly, this sends the wrong message to the community,” Boykin said. “These emails show they are the target because they are black artists.”Staff Writer Eric Heisig can be reached at 857-2202 or eric.heisig@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @TerrebonneCrime.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.